Kettlebell Pro Windmill

Transcription from the Audio

Next we move on to the kettlebell windmill. A great exercise for, shoulder mobility and also shoulder stability. It’s also great for mobilizing the hips, lengthening the hamstrings, and also strengthening up the core muscles. In particular into the sides and into the obliques. Right. It’s quite a few things going on with this exercise so let’s start at the ground first of all.

So, the feet needs to stay a 45 degree angle, pointing away from you. Next, we load the hip, so you push that hip away. Then we take the hand with the kettlebell overhead, nice straight wrist. This bottom hand, then comes down over that front knee. We look up at the kettlebell, touch the floor, come up, drive the hips forward and squeeze the glutes, the buttocks, nice and tight.

So let’s just run through it with the kettlebell. So, keep the feet where they are, pointing away at 45 degrees. kettlebell goes up, wrist is nice and straight. Now I load that hip, it’s really important that I load that hip. This hand goes over that front knee. And, I look up at the kettlebell. Now go down nice and slowly. Touch the floor, if you can. And then we drive up, look forwards, hips come through, squeeze the glutes.

Just go down one more time. Look up, touch, straighten and squeeze. Put the kettlebell down. You’re going to do a total of five repetitions, on each side. Don’t worry if you can’t touch the floor, with that front hand. Just keep this back leg straight. You can bend this front knee slightly. Just go down as far as you feel comfortable with, till those hamstrings are at their maximum stretch. Enjoy that one. It’s a though one. It’s a bit wobbly. You might want to practice it without the kettlebell first. In fact, I recommend you do that. Five on each side. Best of luck.

-Greg Brookes has written for and been featured in Men's Health, Health & Fitness, Women's Fitness and all the National Newspapers. Often labelled as the "Trainer to the Trainers" he is a Personal Trainer and Kettlebell Instructor who took his first fitness qualifications over 21 years ago. Greg lives in Oxford, in the UK, with his wife Lucy. Learn more...